Many organizations today embrace neurodiversity hiring initiatives to pursue a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive workforce. Not only do neurodiverse individuals have much to contribute, but they also represent a potentially untapped source of talent for organizations seeking to hire more competitively. By embracing neurodiversity in all areas of talent management, starting with recruitment, businesses can enhance workplace culture, drive innovation, and attract talent more effectively.
The concept of neurodiversity, which describes differences in individuals' brain functioning and behaviors, first surfaced in the 1990s, based on early autism research by Judy Singer. Neurodiversity helps to explain the many ways people process information, learn, and communicate. It can include people with neurological diagnoses such as ADHD, autism, Tourette's Syndrome, and dyslexia. Also, it can include those with emotional, learning, and sensory differences, such as giftedness and introversion. As many as 20% of the global workforce is considered neurodiverse.
For some time, it has been widely recognized that diverse and inclusive organizations reap numerous advantages, including better financial performance and decision-making. But that's not all. Organizations that view neurodiversity as a strength rather than merely categorizing it as a disability can reap multiple benefits.
For example, studies have found that neurodivergent teams are 30% more productive and six times more likely to be innovative. These benefits may stem from the fact that neurodivergent individuals see the world differently. Their brains are wired so that they may perceive patterns and outcomes differently than neurotypical employees.
Every person is different, but neurodiverse individuals have the potential to bring several abilities and perspectives to the workforce. A global survey of 1,000 neurodivergent individuals found they were more likely to possess the following skills:
These capabilities can support employee performance in any role and can be particularly valuable in IT, engineering, and data analysis.
Despite the recent shift some companies have made away from diversity initiatives, many others are growing in their commitment to diversity across all facets of their workforce and talent pool, including neurodiverse candidates.
Here are just a few examples:
Programs like these don't just create a more diverse slate of candidates for open positions; they also deliver longer-term returns. JPMorgan Chase found that some employees hired through its neurodiversity programs were 90% to 140% more productive than others. Furthermore, many autism hiring programs achieve almost 90% employee retention post-hire.
Creating an inclusive workplace for neurodiverse employees starts with recruitment; fortunately for employers, the talent is out there. An estimated 30-40% of neurodiverse individuals are unemployed. However, there is room for more organizations to begin attracting these prospective hires. According to the Universal Workforce Institute, only 30% of the Fortune 500 have implemented neurodiversity hiring programs.
To upgrade their diversity recruitment activities and attract more neurodiverse applicants, talent acquisition teams should take the following actions:
Recruitment messaging and job descriptions should always use inclusive language, making it clear that the organization welcomes those who think and process information differently. To get this message across, recruitment teams should:
Like job descriptions, applications should be straightforward and free of ambiguity. The application process will be even more transparent if it's designed to inform applicants about the different stages of the hiring process, important deadlines, and what they can expect next. Offering alternate application options, such as during hiring events, may also be beneficial.
Since some people struggle with open-ended interview questions, it's ideal to be direct and include more detail. Asking behavioral-type questions such as, "Tell me an example of a time…" is a great way to help candidates understand precisely what they're being asked in the interview. Other ways to help neurodiverse candidates feel more comfortable during the interview stage include:
Though neurodiversity isn't new, it must be better understood. One survey revealed that 68% of US employees are yet to learn what neurodiversity is, and only 19% said neurodiversity was part of their company's diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) program. Talent acquisition teams can build greater awareness by training recruiters, hiring managers, and others involved in hiring, ensuring they understand what the organization does to attract neurodiverse talent, how to avoid unconscious bias, and the accommodations available for neurodiverse candidates during the hiring process.
Starting a new position can be stressful for anyone. Neurodiverse hires may need additional support to digest the paperwork and other information given to them in the early days and weeks of their new role. Since each person learns and processes information differently, it can be helpful to operate the onboarding process using a variety of mediums, including email, pre-recorded video, and written instructions. Pairing new employees with mentors is another effective way to help them adjust to company culture's unwritten and informal norms.
In addition to relying on traditional job postings and ads, recruitment teams can also reach out to organizations and local communities to find neurodiverse talent. For example, many universities have neurodiversity initiatives, which can help match employers to neurodiverse students seeking post-graduate job opportunities. Other organizations that can help include:
Recruitment analytics don't just help organizations track metrics like time to hire and cost per applicant. They can also be invaluable in helping talent acquisition teams understand the effectiveness of neurodiverse talent attraction and hiring strategies.
Recruitment analytics solutions like Recruitics' VisionTM technology offers customized data and reporting to help track metrics such as:
Given the many benefits, it's common for organizations to be interested in adopting an effective strategy for neurodiversity hiring. Not only do the neurodiverse make up a sizable portion of job seekers, they can also help organizations build a more productive and innovative workforce.
By taking proactive steps to increase neurodiversity hiring, organizations can compete for talent more effectively and cultivate a more robust DEI program.
For help getting started, the Recruitics team offers diversity sourcing and talent attraction solutions, plus powerful analytics to track the progress of all hiring initiatives, including branding, job advertising, and talent engagement activities.
_
Recruitics’ job distribution media network is a rigorously vetted and interconnected network of diverse, talent-rich job sites to attract and hire great talent. Get in touch today to get started.
